What Is Neck Pain? Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Experiencing constant neck pain? Some of the causes of neck pain are arthritis, narrowing of the spinal canal, strain or trauma. Read this comprehensive blog on neck pain to get a detailed overview of neck pain causes, neck pain symptoms, and neck pain treatment.

What is neck pain?

Neck pain is a common problem faced by most people. It can be the result of a wide array of health conditions, ranging from mild to serious. Constant neck pain that persists for an extended period is generally caused by an underlying health condition that requires a medical diagnosis.

Neck pain symptoms

The following signs & symptoms are an indication of neck pain:

Stiffness in the neck

Experiencing a feeling of stiffness in the neck and a reduced range of motion is an indication of neck pain.

Sharp pain

Sharp pain in a specific region of the neck also signifies neck pain.

Pain when moving

Pain experienced in the neck portion while moving, bending or stretching the cervical spine is another symptom of neck pain.

Radiating pain or numbness

Neck pain that spreads to the arms, shoulders, head & chest along with numbness and a tingling sensation in those areas requires medical intervention. This is because it’s normally an indication of a pinched nerve.

Headache

Pain that begins in the neck may also lead to a headache called a cervicogenic headache. It might also be a symptom of a migraine headache.

Pain when palpated

Another symptom involves experiencing a rise in neck pain when your cervical spine is being examined by a healthcare professional.

What causes neck pain?

Neck pain can result from various health conditions such as muscle inflammation, strain/trauma, disc degeneration, arthritis, spinal canal narrowing, and meningitis & cancer in rare circumstances. Let’s get to know some of these reasons in detail:

Muscle tension & strain

This is generally a culmination of:

• Sleeping with the neck in a poor position
• Wrong posture
• Continuous desk jobs with no activity in between
• Jerking neck while doing exercise

Injury

Neck pain is commonly caused by the following types of injuries:

• Falls
• Vehicle accidents
• Sports-related injuries
• Sudden jerking of the head

Meningitis

A potentially deadly disease, meningitis is basically inflammation of the membranes that encircle the spinal cord & brain. It’s usually caused by an infection and results in neck pain accompanied by stiffness.

Other causes

Other causes of neck pain include:

Rheumatoid arthritis

A chronic inflammatory condition that impacts various joints, rheumatoid arthritis may cause neck pain due to bone spurs or joint inflammation.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis usually affects the knees/hands by weakening the bones and causing tiny fractures in them. However, this may also happen in the neck portion.

Fibromyalgia

A disorder that results in tenderness & muscle pain across the body, pain caused by fibromyalgia is more likely to occur in the neck & shoulder area.

Spinal stenosis

A spinal disorder that can cause chronic neck pain, spinal stenosis is characterized by narrowing of the spinal column.

How to ease neck pain at home

Neck pain is generally mild in nature and can be cured at home with basic conservative medical treatment and rest. The following are some of the common treatments used at home to treat neck pain:

• Applying ice/heat packs
• Consuming over-the-counter painkillers
• Maintaining good posture
• Simple neck stretching exercises
• Adequate rest

When to see a doctor?

If home remedies don’t work and the neck pain persists & hinders your everyday life, then it’s well-advised to consult a doctor for appropriate diagnosis & treatment. Here are some of the symptoms that necessitate medical evaluation:

• Neck pain without any identifiable reason
• Having trouble moving the neck
• Lump or swelling in the neck region
• Numbness in the neck
• Tingling feeling in the neck area
• Difficulty in breathing/swallowing

Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Treatment for Neck Pain

Relief from chronic neck pain without any risky surgery or heavy medicines/injections is very much possible! Our US patented Spinal Decompression Treatment helps treat neck pain caused due to spinal disorders at a budget-friendly price without hospitalization or side effects. Check out the procedure of this proven treatment:

• Your spine will be gently lengthened & released through repetitive movements.
• This will cause a negative pressure change within the spinal joints, thus facilitating the pulling back of the nutrients into the disc.
• This causes a physiological change which reduces pain levels and aids the body’s natural healing process.

Conclusion

Most people feel neck pain due to muscle strain & incorrect posture. This kind of moderate pain usually goes away within a few weeks with basic treatment. However, chronic neck pain necessitates medical diagnosis to detect the underlying health condition and its subsequent treatment. If you are suffering from consistent neck pain for a prolonged period of time, then contact our spine experts now for a consultation! Click here to schedule your appointment:

FAQs

Reference:

Gionis, Thomas A., and Eric Groteke. “Spinal decompression.” Orthopedic technology review 5 (2003): 36-39. https://comfortrac.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Spinal_Decompression.pdf

Daniel, Dwain M. “Non-surgical spinal decompression therapy: does the scientific literature support efficacy claims made in the advertising media?.” Chiropractic & Osteopathy 15.1 (2007): 1-5. https://chiromt.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1746-1340-15-7